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Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Tops Kendrick Lamar’s
Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar Bad Bunny [Left], Kendrick Lamar [Right]; Image Credit: USA TODAY Sports

Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Tops Kendrick Lamar’s

Originally posted on The SportsRush  |  By Suresh Menon  |  Last updated Feb 9, 2026 10:59 AM ET

When it was announced in September last year that Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny would headline the Super Bowl LX halftime show, the reaction was not exactly positive. Well, those critics have all been proven wrong, and in some style.

Many had questioned the  NFL’s choice by raising doubts about whether a mostly Spanish-language performance could connect with the league’s predominantly American audience. Some wondered if the league was taking a cultural risk on its biggest stage. There were also concerns raised over ICE’s presence at the event.

As it turns out, those risks have paid off exactly the way the NFL hoped for. Bad Bunny didn’t just meet expectations, he shattered them.

Over the course of a tightly packed 13-minute performance, the MIA hitmaker delivered a visual and cultural spectacle rooted in his heritage. The set opened in a recreated sugar cane field, populated by jíbaros in traditional pavas. It then transitioned into scenes of domino players, a New York-style bodega, and a pan-American street parade.

It was a visually narrative arc, rather than just being a medley of hits. The highlight of the performance, however, began midway through the show.

That’s when Bad Bunny paused to introduce himself in Spanish. “Mi nombre es Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio. Y si hoy estoy aquí en el Super Bowl 60, es porque nunca, nunca dejé de creer en mí y tú también deberías de creer en ti, vales más de lo que piensas,” he told the crowd. In English: “If I’m here today, it’s because I never stopped believing in myself, and you should believe in yourself, too.”

The performance took off from there as a real wedding, then took place live on the field, with Bad Bunny serving as a witness. This was followed by Lady Gaga’s entry during the ceremony, dancing and singing alongside him in a scene that felt more like a celebration than a halftime show.

Later on, Bad Bunny paid homage to Puerto Rico’s political struggles, power outages, and cultural resilience, culminating with the artist holding the Puerto Rican flag and closing with his hit song “DtMF.”

Fortunately for Bad Bunny, his efforts in curating an audio-visual masterclass for his fans worked out. According to NBC, this year’s halftime show drew 135.4 million viewers, making it the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show of all time.

That figure surpassed Kendrick Lamar’s show at Super Bowl LIX in 2025, which had set the record at 133.5 million viewers. To put the achievement into context, Billboard’s list of the most-watched halftime shows now places Bad Bunny firmly at the top. Kendrick Lamar (133.5M) sits second, followed by Usher in 2024 with 123.4 million, Rihanna in 2023 with 121 million, and Katy Perry’s 2015 performance, also at 121 million.

Then again, Bad Bunny’s success goes beyond raw numbers. His halftime show marked the full arrival of Latin music on one of the most traditionally American stages in sports.

Performed almost entirely in Spanish, the show expanded the NFL’s reach across new demographics and countries, pulling in viewers who may not otherwise tune in for football. That crossover appeal is precisely why the league leaned into this moment.

This article first appeared on The SportsRush and was syndicated with permission.

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